


Second Chances

by icalldibs



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV), The Bane Chronicles - Sarah Rees Brennan & Cassandra Clare & Maureen Johnson
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Could you even call it fluff, High school fluff, I don't know, M/M, No Plot/Plotless, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 07:22:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6972667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icalldibs/pseuds/icalldibs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec and Magnus crash into each other and then go on a date. There's really nothing more to it than that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Second Chances

Alec was never good at anything. Well, he never had a “special skill” that set him apart from the others. Unless you would count being the oldest as a special skill, then he had that down. But that skill only seemed to get him more responsibility and more grunge work than any of his siblings combined and he would  _ really _ like to return it if possible. However, despite all of the extra crap piled onto him, he loved being the oldest. That meant he was able to watch his siblings grow and had a minute part in who they were today.  He was there when Max took his first steps and when Izzy made the boys at school cry. He was even there when his parents adopted Jace. He loved his life and he loved his family, he just didn’t, well, love himself. 

That is, until he met Magnus. 

Magnus was perfect in every single way. When their paths finally collided, it was in the hallway at school. Apparently, he and Magnus have been going to school together since they were in fifth grade, but neither of them had the courage to strike up a conversation. Which is odd considering how energetic and extravagant Magnus was. His aura seemed to enchant anyone. It didn’t matter if you were popular or a social outcast or what clique you belonged to, Magnus was your friend and he made you feel important. It was like you were drawn to him by some mystical force, binding you both forever. 

That day in the hallway was when the mystical force decided it was Alec’s turn to be changed by Magnus. Alec was rushing to homeroom, desperate to finish his last-minute breakfast before school started, and Magnus was barreling out of the bathroom, desperate to perfect his glitter-liner for the day. The two crashed into each other, sending their papers and books flying to the ground and Alec’s breakfast straight into Magnus’s shirt. 

“Ah, piss. Not my favorite shirt!” Magnus yelled as he hurriedly tried to collect his half of the mess. 

And Alec, well, he was stunned. He not only crashed into the hottest and kindest guy in school, epically embarrassing himself, he no longer has anything to eat. That was his favorite smoothie, dammit. He doesn’t know which was worse. 

“All of my papers are mixed with yours and I can’t tell whose is whose and I  _ certainly _ don’t have the time!” Magnus placed his hands on his knees where he was kneeling on the ground. He put his hand over his face in exasperation. “Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to help me sort this out? I have a paper due this hour and it’s somewhere in this mess and I can’t get another damn extension on it or Krambeck is going to kill me.”

Alec continued to stare down at him. He opened his mouth a couple of times and nothing but small sounds came out. He can blame that one on his social anxiety. He was frozen. Dead where he stood. And he could do nothing about it. 

“Seriously, dude,” Magnus continued, “Are you going to fucking help me or—” Magnus stopped. He had finally looked up to who he had run into and he saw the utter fear on Alec’s face. “Actually, it’s okay. I don’t need my paper.” He slowly rose to his feet and looked Alec in the eyes. His features were now soft and caring compared to his frustration from earlier. He looked more like himself in this state. More like the person he heard about.

“Are you okay, Alec? You’re name is Alec, right?” He reached his hands slowly out toward Alec, like someone trying to comfort a rabid animal or crazy person. 

Alec stared at him some more, unable to make a sound escape his throat. 

“It’s really not a big deal, man. Papers get lost all of the time. I’m sure Krambeck will understand.” Magnus finally landed a hand on his shoulder, but Alec still couldn’t speak. What was wrong with him? “Hey, Alexander, are you in there?”

It was probably the way he said his real name. The way it rolled off his tongue, like he was meant to say. Like he was the only one who could say it ever again. The sound was like scissors that finally cut him free, releasing his voice. “I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING,” he blurted. 

Alec blinked. What did he just say? He mentally slapped himself and tried to salvage the situation. “I mean, uh, I’m sorry. For running into you. You know, as you were coming out of the bathroom. I shouldn’t have been in your way and you need to get to class. And OH! Your paper!” Alec dropped to the ground and began ruffling through the scattered pile. “I can find it for you. I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me and I just—”

“Alexander.” There that was again. His name, just naturally belonging in Magnus’s mouth. Magnus leaned down and put his hand over Alec’s in an attempt to stop his digging. With his other hand, he reached under Alec’s chin and made him look at him. Magnus was wearing a soft, endearing, smile that Alec couldn’t help but to comply to him. “It’s alright. Truly. Please,” he pulled Alec to his feet, “stop.” He didn't’ let go of his hand. And Alec didn’t pull away. 

“But. I—”

“Do you want to cut class with me?”

Alec blinked. “What?”

“Yeah, there’s this old art museum down in Brooklyn and I’ve been dying to go again, but I can’t seem to find someone to go with me. Would you like to?” Magnus looked at him. The air around him was soothing and looking into his face he could tell that he didn’t want to do anything else. 

“But, Magnus. What about your paper? Your deadline? Krambeck will—”

“Fuck Krambeck. I want to go see some art, don’t you?”

“We can’t skip school. We’re going to get in trouble! Besides, why would you want me to go with you? I just ruined your day and your shirt! I’m clumsy and I’m anxious and this… is the longest time I’ve ever talked to someone outside my family.” The realization was thrilling. Here he was, getting affected by Magnus Bane like everyone Magnus talked to. 

“Hey. I don’t care about that stuff. You’re… a puzzle, Alexander. And I want to spend my time figuring you out.” He started walking down the hallway toward the doors that lead outside. Alec already missed the feel of his hand enclosed in his own. “Besides, everyone deserves a second chance. But for you, I’d probably give a thousand chances just to see those intoxicating eyes again. Not that I think you’ll ever need them. Plus, you’re like really good at holding my hand. How could I pass that up?”

Alec stared over at Magnus, trying to decipher what the hell just happened. There’s no way that any of this could actually be real. But, Alec did have a shitstorm for a life, so, honestly, anything could happen. He looked to the papers scattered about. School, stress, pressure, and sadness came to his mind. Then he looked up at Magnus and only one word came to his mind—hope.

“Are you coming?” Magnus held out his hand to Alec. There it was. Open for the taking. And dammit, Alec took it. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoyed it! This was a fic to try to get me out of a slump. I've been wanting to write for a while now, and I finally got a new laptop so I just went with it! I honestly have no idea where this story came from, so I'm sorry if the summary dissapointed you. Or if the story in general did. Oh, well, I had fun!
> 
> Stay cool!
> 
> xo
> 
> p.s. I'm on tumblr if you wanna say hi! (from-planet-gallifrey)


End file.
